Automobile door latch and strike plate



Sept. 21, 1937. A. CLAUD-MANTLE v2,093,465

' AUTOMOBILE DOORLATCH AND STRIKE FLATE Filed Sept. 7, 1955 lNVENTOR 'HI E TPMR LLHUDMHNTLE.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 21, 1937 PATENT OFFICE v 2,093,465 3 AUTOMOBILE noon LATCH AND s'rann rm'rn Arthur Gland-Mantle, Trumbull, com, assignor to The Bassick Company, Bridgeport, Conn.,

'a corporation of Connecticut Application September 7, 1935,,Serial No..39,548

' Claims. (01. 292-449) The present invention relates to an automobile door latch and strike plate, and has for an object to provide a latch which will not only securely hold the door in closed position, but will also support it vertically against any tendency to vibrate or become displaced in a vertical direction, and at the same time will align the door in a predetermined relation with the door post. It has been the practice heretofore to provide, in addition to 10 the usual latch, a dovetail device for the purpose of holding the door against vertical movement, this dovetail device usually consisting of a pair of wedge blocks which are spring pressed. It is proposed in the present invention to provide a strike plate Having the normal function of being engaged by the latch bolt to retain. the door closed, and further to provide wedging means forming part of and cooperating between the strike and bolt for the purpose of vertically aligning the door and preventing vertical movement. It is also proposed to provide wedging meanscooperating between the latch casing and the bolt and which in cooperating with the wedging means cooperating between the bolt and strike plate preventsany relative movement between the latch casing and the strike plate. It is further proposed to provide such a latch and strike plate structure in which the usual rubber bumpers provided upon the door post, for the purpose of retaining the bolt intight relation with the strike plate, will also function to cause the wedging surfaces to cooperate under pressure.

With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, and this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing the strike plate according to the invention mounted upon the door post, and showing the door about to closein relation thereto.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the latch casing, partially broken away, showing the latch bolt according to the invention.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the strike plate.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of the latch bolt.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 7 is a front end view.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view showing the .latch bolt in latching engagement withthe strike.

Fig. 9 is a front end view of the .bolt and a portion of the latch casing.

I Fig. 10; is a. front end view of a modified form of bolt'according to the invention, and a portion of the latch casing.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the door post in which may be of any suitable construction and which is illustrated as of sheet metal, is provided with a recess l l in which the strike plate is adapted to be secured, and is provided at suitable distances above and below the recess II with rubber bumpers l2--I2, these bumpers adapted in the closed position of the door to be engaged and compressed by the flange l3 of the door I l.

l The strike plate. according to the invention, comprises side walls |5l5 and a base wall It connecting the side walls, the inner surfaces ll 'of the side walls being inclined so that they converge inwardly to provide a wide entrance for the bolt which guides thebolt into substantially centralized relation. The upper surface of the base is'provided with an inclined strike surface l8 and a latch retaining shoulder 19 at the inner end of the surface l8, which is adapted to act as second inclined strike surface 20 the inner end of which is provided with a V-shaped bolt engaging surface or shoulder 2|, which is adapted to be engaged by the bolt in its latching position, as will presently more fully appear. The surfaces of the shoulder 2| are preferably at a angle to each other. Screw holes 22 are provided in the base for the purpose of securing the strike plate in the recess I I by means of screws 23.

The latch 24 is secured in the door M in theusual manner. The spring pressed latch bolt 25 has projecting and retracting movement through an opening 26 in the latch casing and is provided at its nose end and at its inner side with a rounded strike engaging surface 21 which upon closing of the door is adapted to engage the strike surfaces l8 and 20 to cause the bolt to retractagianst its spring pressure, the bolt being projected by spring pressure as it moves past the strike surfaces l8 and 20. At the forward side 'of the bolt, and which engages the V-shaped shoulder 2| of the strike plate, there are provided beveled surfaces 28-48 having the same angularity as the 'wedging surfaces of the shoulder 2| and which {are adapted to engage these surfaces in the latched position. At the rearward side the formed in the bolt opening 26. The latch is provided with the usual bolt retracting handle 3|. The operation of the invention is as follows:- The door I4 is closed in the usual manner with sufficient force to cause the rubber bumpers l2-l2- to become compressed, the clearance between the shoulder M and the latch bolt being suflicient during the moment of compression of the bumpers to permit the bolt to project into engagement with the shoulder 2 I. ers expand they press the door and the latch bolt outwardly causing the latch. bolt to firmly engage the shoulder 2| under pressure. The inclined surfaces of the shoulder cooperating with the bevels 28-28 of the latch bolt will cause the latch bolt to become automatically aligned-with the strike. At the same time the outward pressure on the latch casing will cause the inclined surfaces 30-30 of the opening 26 to engage the beveled surfaces 29-29 of the bolt automatically aligning the latch casing and bolt, and therefore aligning the door in a predetermined position with respect to the strike plate. At the same time the door is effectually held against vertical movement, that would be produced by normal vibration, or other normal causes, by the wedging engagement of the bolt with the wedging shoulder 2| and of the surfaces 29-29 with the surfaces 30-30 under the expanding pressure of the compressed bumpers. Any unusual vertical pressure on the door or post, or that due to excessive weaving action between them, and such as might cause breakage or distortion, if the door were held absolutely rigid, will cause the bolt to slide inwardly and upwardly or downwardly upon the upper or lower inclined strike surfaces 2|, through further compression applied to the rubber bumpers and the camming laction provided by said inclined strike surfaces. Upon release of such pressure the expanding action of the rubber bumpers and the camming action of the inclined strike surfaces cause the latch bolt and door to again resume its properly aligned position. Any looseness or wear in the bolt opening 26 that would ordinarily result in allowing relative vertical movement is positively compensated and prevented in the closed position of the door by the camming action of the surfaces 29-29 and 30-30.

In Fig. 10 I have shown a modification in which the bolt 25 is provided at its rearward surface with a' U-shaped groove 32, engaged by a V- shaped lug 33 provided in the bolt opening 26, and which function in a simflarmanner to the surfaces 29-29 and 30-30 to prevent relatively vertical movement between the latch casing and thebolt.

I have illustrated and described satisfactory and preferred embodiments of my invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In an automobile door latch, a strike adapted to be carried by the door post and hav ing a bolt retaining surface, a spring pressed latch bolt adapted to be carried by the door and to engage said latch retaining surface of the strike, resilient means adapted to cooperate between the post and door to exert outward pressure on said door and bolt in the engaged relation of the bolt with the strike, and camming means cooperating between said strike and bolt adapted to alignsaid bolt with respect to said As the bumpstrike under the pressure of said resilient means, said strike having clearance spaces permitting vertical and lateral displacement of said bolt through yielding of said resilient means.

2. In an automobile door latch, a strike adapted to be carried by the door post having a bolt retaining surface, a. spring pressed latch bolt adapted to be carried by the door and to engage said latch retaining surface of the strike, resilient means adapted to cooperate between the ,post and door to exert outward pressure on saiddoor andbolt in the engaged relation of the bolt with the strike, said bolt retaining surface of said strike having camming-surfaces adapted to vertically align said bolt with respect to said strike under the pressure of said resilient means, said strike having clearance spaces permitting vertical and lateral displacement of said bolt through yielding of said resilient means.

3. In an automobile door latch, a strike adapted to be carried by the door post having a bolt retaining surface, a spring pressed latch ,bolt adapted to be carried by the door and to engage said latch retaining surface of the strike, resilient means adapted to cooperate between the-post and door to exert outward pressure on said door and bolt in the annexed relation of the bolt with the strike, said bolt retaining surface of said strike having a pair of outwardly converging camming means adapted to vertically align said bolt with respect to said strike under the pressure of said resilient means, said strike having clearance spaces permitting vertical and lateral displacement of said bolt through yielding of said resilient means.

4. In an automobile door latch, a strike adapted tobe carried by the door post having a bolt retaining surface, a spring pressed latch bolt adapted to be carried by the door and to engage said latch retaining surface of the strike, resilient means adapted to cooperate between the post and door to exert outward pressure on said door and bolt in the annexed relation of the bolt with the strike, said bolt retaining surface of said strike having a pair of outwardly converging camming means adapted to vertically align said bolt with respect to said strike under the pressure of said resilient means, said bolt being unconfined vertically by said strike except by said camming surfaces.

5. In an automobile door latch, a strike adapted to be carried by the door post. having a bolt retaining surface, a spring pressed latch bolt adapted to be carried by the door and to engage said latch retaining surface of the strike, resilient means adapted to cooperate between the post and door to exert outward pressure on said door and bolt in the engaged relation of the bolt with the strike, said boltretaining surface of said strike having a pair of inclined outwardly converging surfaces adapted to vertically align said bolt with respect to said strike under the pressure of said resilient means, said strike having clearance spaces permitting vertical and lateral displacement of said bolt through yielding of said resilient means.

6. In an automobile door latch, a strike adapted to be carried by the door post having a bolt retaining surface, a spring pressed latch bolt adapted to be carried by the door, and to engage said latch retaining surface of the strike, resilient means adapted to cooperate between the post and door to exert outward pressure on said door and bolt in the engaged relation of the bolt with the strike said bolt retaining surface of said strike having a pair'of inclined outwardly converging surfaces adapted to vertically align said bolt with respect to said strike under the pressure of said resilient means, said strike "having clearance spaces permitting vertical and lateral displacement of said bolt through yielding of said resilient means andsaid bolt having inclined surfaces adapted to seat upon said inclined surfaces of the strike. v

'1. In an automobile door latch, a strike adapted to be carried by the door post having a bolt retaining surface, a spring pressed latch bolt adapted to be carried by the door and to engage said latch retaining surface of the strike, resilient means adapted to cooperate between the post and door to exert outward pressure on said door and bolt in the engaged relation of the bolt with the strike, said bolt retaining surfaces of said strike having a pair of inclined outwardly converging surfaces each disposed at the same angle to the vertical plane of the door and adapted to vertically align said bolt with respect to said strike under the pressure of said resilient means, said strike having clearance spaces permitting vertical and lateral displacement of said bolt through yielding of said resilient means.

8. In an automobile door latch a strike adapted to be carried by the door post having a bolt retaining surface, a spring pressed latch bolt adapted to be carried by the door and to engage said latch retaining surfaceof the strike, resilient means adapted to cooperate between the post and door to exert outward-pressure on said door'and bolt in the engaged relation of the bolt with the strike, said bolt retaining surface of said strike having a pair of inclined outwardly converging surfaces each disposed at an angle of substantially 45 to the vertical plane of the door and adapted to vertically align said bolt with respect to said strike under the pressure of said resilient means, said strike having clearance spaces permitting vertical and lateral displacement of said bolt through yielding of said resilient means. I

9. In an automobile door latch, a strike adapted to be carried by the door post having a bolt retaining surface, a spring pressed latch bolt adapted to be carried by the door and to engage said latch retaining surface of the strike, resilient means adapted to cooperate between the post and door to exert outward pressure on said door and bolt in the engaged relation of the bolt with the strike, camming means cooperating betweensaid door and bolt adapted to align said door with respect to said bolt under the pressure of said resilient means, and camming means cooperating between said strike and bolt adapted to align said bolt with respect to said strike under the pressure of said resilient means, said strike having clearance spaces permitting vertical and lateral displacementof said bolt through yielding of said resilient means.

10. In an automobile door latch, a strikeadapted to be carried by the door post having a bolt retaining surface, a latch casing adapted to be carried by the door and having a bolt opening, a spring pressed latch bolt engaging said opening and adapted to engage said latch retaining surface of the strike, resilient means adapted to cooperate between the post and door to exert outward pressure on said door and bolt in the engaged relation of the bolt with the strike, said bolt opening having a pair of inclined converging surfaces adapted to vertically align said doorwith respect to said bolt under the pressure of said resilient meansyand said bolt retaining surface of said strike having a pair of inclined converge ing surfaces adapted to vertically align said bolts with respect to said strike under the pressureof said resilient means, said strike having clearance spaces permitting vertical and lateral displacement of said bolt through yielding ofsaid resilient means. ARTHUR CLAUD-MANTIE. 

